A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data includes providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification. A manufacturing system includes a tool and a process controller. The tool is adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe. The process controller is adapted to employ a control model to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control algorithm. The process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises an etch tool adapted to etch features on a semiconductor wafer; estimating a control variable value, wherein estimating the control variable value includes estimating an etch rate; receiving a tool event notification; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification and based on the estimated control variable value.
2. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool adapted to form a layer on a semiconductor wafer; estimating a control variable value, wherein estimating the control variable value includes estimating a deposition rate; receiving a tool event notification; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification and based on the estimated control variable value.
3. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises a polishing tool adapted to planarize a semiconductor wafer; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable value, wherein performing the qualification procedure comprises processing a test wafer in the polishing tool to determine a blanket wafer removal rate; receiving a tool event notification; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification and based on the control variable value.
4. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, initializing the control model comprising: performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable value, wherein the tool comprises a photolithography stepper adapted to expose a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer, and performing the qualification procedure comprises processing a test wafer in the photolithography stepper to determine an overlay characteristic of the photolithography stepper; and initializing the control model based on the control variable value.
5. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, initializing the control model comprising: performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable value, wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool adapted to form a layer on a semiconductor wafer, and performing the qualification procedure comprises depositing the process layer on a test wafer in the deposition tool to determine a deposition rate; and initializing the control model based on the control variable value.
6. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, initializing the control model comprising: performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable value, wherein the tool comprises an etch tool adapted to etch features on a semiconductor wafer, and performing the qualification procedure comprises etching a test wafer in the etch tool to determine an etch rate; and initializing the control model based on the control variable value.
7. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises an etch tool having a chamber; receiving a tool event notification, wherein receiving the tool event notification comprises receiving a notification when the chamber is cleaned; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification.
8. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool having a chamber; receiving a tool event notification, wherein receiving the tool event notification comprises receiving a notification when the chamber is cleaned; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification.
9. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; and initializing the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, wherein the tool comprises a photolithography stepper adapted to expose a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer, and receiving the tool event notification comprises receiving a notification when a red-blue calibration is performed on the photolithography stepper.
10. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises a polishing tool adapted to planarize a semiconductor wafer; receiving a tool event notification; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable, wherein performing the qualification procedure comprises processing a test wafer in the polishing tool to determine a blanket wafer removal rate; and initializing the control model based on the control variable.
11. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable, wherein the tool comprises a photolithography stepper adapted to expose a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer, and performing the qualification procedure comprises processing a test wafer in the photolithography stepper to determine an overlay characteristic of the photolithography stepper; and initializing the control model based on the control variable.
12. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable, wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool adapted to form a layer on a semiconductor wafer, and performing the qualification procedure comprises depositing the process layer on a test wafer in the deposition tool to determine a deposition rate; and initializing the control model based on the control variable.
13. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable, wherein the tool comprises an etch tool adapted to etch features on a semiconductor wafer, and performing the qualification procedure comprises etching a test wafer in the etch tool to determine an etch rate; and initializing the control model based on the control variable.
14. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises an etch tool having a chamber, receiving a tool event notification, wherein receiving the tool event notification comprises receiving a notification when the chamber is cleaned; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable; and initializing the control model based on the control variable.
15. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool, wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool having a chamber receiving a tool event notification, wherein receiving the tool event notification comprises receiving a notification when the chamber is cleaned; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable; and initializing the control model based on the control variable.
16. A method for initializing process controllers based on tool event data, comprising: providing a tool having a process controller adapted to employ a control model to control an operating recipe of the tool; receiving a tool event notification, wherein the tool comprises a photolithography stepper adapted to expose a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer, and receiving the tool event notification comprises receiving a notification when a red-blue calibration is performed on the photolithography stepper; performing a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification to determine a control variable; and initializing the control model based on the control variable.
17. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe; process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification; and a process control server adapted to send the tool event notification to the process controller.
18. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe wherein the tool comprises an etch tool adapted to etch features on a semiconductor wafer; and a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, and wherein the process controller is adapted to estimate a control variable value and initialize the control model based on the estimated control variable value, and the estimated control variable value comprises an etch rate.
19. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool adapted to form a layer on a semiconductor wafer; and a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, and wherein the process controller is adapted to estimate a control variable value and initialize the control model based on the estimated control variable value, and the estimated control variable value comprises a deposition rate.
20. The manufacturing system of claim 17 , wherein the process controller is adapted to contact the process control server to schedule a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification.
21. The manufacturing system of claim 20 , wherein the tool is adapted to perform the qualification procedure, and the process controller is configured to determine a control variable value based on the qualification procedure.
22. The manufacturing system of claim 21 , wherein the tool comprises a polishing tool adapted to planarize a semiconductor wafer, the qualification procedure comprises processing a test wafer in the polishing tool, and the process controller is configured to determine a blanket wafer removal rate as the control variable value.
23. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe; a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification; and a process control server adapted to send the tool event notification to the process controller, wherein the process controller is adapted to contact the process control server to schedule a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification, and wherein the tool is adapted to perform the qualification procedure, and the process controller is configured to determine a control variable value based on the qualification procedure, and wherein the tool comprises a photolithography stepper adapted to expose a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer, the qualification procedure comprises processing a test wafer in the photolithography stepper, and the process controller is configured to determine an overlay characteristic of the photolithography stepper.
24. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe; a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to a receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification; and a process control server adapted to send the tool event notification to the process controller, wherein the process controller is adapted to contact the process control server to schedule a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification, and wherein the tool is adapted to perform the qualification procedure, and the process controller is configured to determine a control variable value based on the qualification procedure, and wherein the tool comprises an etch tool adapted to etch features on a semiconductor wafer, the qualification procedure comprises etching a test wafer in the polishing tool, and the process controller is configured to determine an etch rate as the control variable value.
25. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe; a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification; and a process control server adapted to send the tool event notification to the process controller, wherein the process controller is adapted to contact the process control server to schedule a qualification procedure on the tool in response to receiving the tool event notification, and wherein the tool is adapted to perform the qualification procedure, and the process controller is configured to determine a control variable value based on the qualification procedure, and wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool adapted to form a process layer on a semiconductor wafer, the qualification procedure comprises forming the process layer on a test wafer in the deposition tool, and the process controller is configured to determine a deposition rate as the control variable value.
26. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe, wherein the tool comprises an etch tool having a chamber; and a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification and the tool event notification comprises a notification that the chamber has been cleaned.
27. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe, wherein the tool comprises a deposition tool having a chamber; and a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, and the tool event notification comprises a notification that the chamber has been cleaned.
28. A manufacturing system, comprising: a tool adapted to process wafers in accordance with an operating recipe; and a process controller adapted to control the operating recipe in accordance with a control model, wherein the process controller is further adapted to receive a tool event notification and initialize the control model in response to receiving the tool event notification, wherein the tool comprises a photolithography stepper adapted to expose a photoresist layer on a semiconductor wafer, and the tool event notification comprises a notification that a red-blue calibration has been performed on the photolithography stepper.
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April 2, 2001
September 5, 2006
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